Zain stood at the edge of the alley, frowning.
"Damn it... The Bone Brothers aren't here."
That was the name he'd casually assigned them.
Splinter and Knuck, the duo with those creepy bone-based abilities.
He glanced up at the sky that had already begun to darken.
"Tch. It's almost night. Guess it's time to head home."
He turned, stuffing his hands into his coat pockets as he started down the street, still mildly annoyed at the fruitless search.
But what he didn't realize—
He wasn't alone.
From the rooftop above, two figures crouched silently, eyes locked on Zain's movements.
One of them clicked his tongue softly."You sure that's the guy sniffing around for us?"
The second figure nodded, his eyes narrowing.
"Same jacket. Same face. Same walk. That's him."
"Bold little bastard. Came all the way back to our turf."
"He's persistent… Might be trouble if we let him keep looking."
They exchanged a silent look before going back into hiding.
---
Zain had arrived at his home and could smell the scent of warm food.
He exhaled lightly and pulled off his coat, tossing it over the back of the chair.
Zelia peeked from the kitchen, holding a ladle in one hand and a smirk on her face.
"So, you're finally home. How did it go?"
Zain smirked as he sat down.
"Of course I passed. What did you expect?"
He tapped the temporary Hero ID on the table.
"I'm officially a hero now… though still stuck at D-Rank. Gotta pass a few more tests to climb up."
Zelia chuckled, setting down a hot bowl in front of him.
"I see. Well, eat first, Rank-D hero. You'll need strength to keep acting cool."
Zain smiled and picked up his chopsticks.
"Okay then. Let's eat."
They ate in quiet for a few minutes until Zelia glanced at him from across the table.
"So, what kind of mission are you on now?"
Zain wiped his mouth before answering."Hunting villains."
He said it plainly like it was just another errand.
Zelia immediately frowned.
"Villains? Already? Isn't that a bit much for a beginner?"
Zain leaned back in his chair, unfazed.
"Don't worry, sis. Your little brother's strong."
He smirked.
"I'm a hero now. That's my job."
Zelia stared at him for a moment, her expression serious.
Then she sighed.
"I see… But just promise me one thing."
"Take care of your body, alright?"
Zain nodded.
"Yeah. I will."
She smiled gently and stood to bring more soup.
And for a moment, everything felt normal.
---
Zain had just finished his dinner, thinking about something.
Then, a thought struck.
"Wait…"
He looked up at Zelia, who was washing dishes in the small kitchen area.
"Hey, sis. Can I ask you something?"
Zelia glanced over her shoulder.
"Hm? What is it?"
Zain stood, walked to his coat, and pulled out the pictures of the Bone Brothers.
He walked over and placed the picture on the counter next to her.
"Have you seen these two before?"
Zelia looked at the photos.
One showed Splinter with his sunken eyes and bony arms.
The other showed Knuck, a bulkier man with a rough scar across his cheek and unnaturally sharp fingers.
Her hands frozen mid-dry on the plate.
She stared at the faces for a few seconds longer than Zain expected.
"...Wait a second."
She leaned in closer.
"These guys... I saw them. A few days ago."
Zain raised his eyebrows.
"You what? Where?"
Zelia slowly placed the dish down and wiped her hands, her face growing more serious.
"Near the alley behind the laundry shop. You know, the one two blocks behind our house."
"You're sure it was them?"
"Positive. The tall, skinny one—Splinter? He kept scratching his arms like something was crawling under his skin."
"And the other guy... he was cracking his fingers like a lunatic, and the bones were literally sticking out. I remember because it freaked me out."
Zain leaned on the counter, eyes narrowing."So they were here. Right under our noses."
Zelia crossed her arms, frowning.
"They were hanging around that old boarded-up clinic."
"I thought they were just junkies or something, so I avoided them. Didn't realize they were criminals."
Zain was already flipping through the map, marking the area she mentioned.
"This changes everything. They might still be close. Maybe hiding out."
Zelia looked at him, concern returning to her voice.
"Zain… I know you're strong now, but don't underestimate people like this. They don't care who they hurt."
He gave her a small grin.
"Which is exactly why I'm going after them. People like that don't get to lurk near our home."
Zelia exhaled, but nodded.
"Just promise me one thing…"
"What?"
"Come back with all your limbs. Preferably not broken."
Zain smirked.
"No promises, but I'll do my best."
---
Zain glanced at the clock on the wall. The hands pointed close to midnight.
"It's already late."
He looked over at Zelia, who was still leaning against the counter.
She was watching him with a conflicted expression.
He gave her a small smile.
"Let's get some sleep. I'll take care of them tomorrow."
Zelia didn't move right away.
"You're really going after them alone?"
"Yeah."
"Even if they're hiding in some hole like rats? You don't know what they've set up."
Zain shrugged.
"Then I'll flush them out. They've been crawling too close to home."
Zain smirked, pointing at the shop.
"You said it yourself. They were right behind the laundry shop."
Zelia looked down for a moment.
"I just don't want to lose you."
Zain stepped closer and placed his hand on her head, brushing her hair gently.
"You won't. I promise. They're C-rank thugs with bone tricks. I've already fought worse."
She rolled her eyes.
"Doesn't mean you're invincible, you know."
Zain smirked.
"No. But I'm getting there."
Zelia finally let out a sigh and nodded.
"Fine. Just... wake me if you're leaving early."
"Got it."
She headed to her room, glancing back once before closing the door behind her.
Zain turned toward his own room, stepping in silently.
He sat on the edge of his bed but didn't lie down.
The night outside was quiet, but his mind wasn't.
He didn't feel like sleeping. Not yet.